Jagged Mind
by Sunpath
Summary: What happens when our favorite telepath recruits a mutant girl who has been without human contact for two years and has slowly begun to lose her mind? Love happens. First Class timeline.Charles/OC. And it sounds better then the summary. Last chapter up.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note**

**Alright, my first story. **  
><strong>Ever. Well, be kind and review. Each chapter will be about this long, so don't be expecting too much with each update. <strong>

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><p>I remember when it happened. When I found out what I actually was. The thing mystified me, but made me crave for it every single time it happened. I love what I can do, but I've always wanted to know why it happened when it did.<p>

Why it happened in a forest.

Why I killed my best friend.

_December Fourteenth, 1961_

It was just Audrey and I in the middle of that forest. The snow bathed the forest, soon to be covered in the sticky red fluid that swims in our veins. It was too perfect. Every tree was singed with frost, glittering under that weak winter sun. The snow wasn't deep, you could feel the crunch of long lost pine needles and forest matter that littered the Earth below the blanket called snow.

I remembered Audrey. She was the perfect student. Tall, thin, tanned and blonde. Her perfect hair fell like waves over her shoulders. Her skin was always perfectly shaved and perfectly flawless. Her deep blue eyes were round and big, giving off that puppy-dog look. She was also the star athlete of the school. She was in every non-geeky school club. And was the best in all. Cross-country, swimming, basketball, she did it all. A model student too, always the teacher's favorite.

And these were the reasons why every guy in the school trailed after her shoulder. And why I was angry at her. She was born perfect. It annoyed me that God could create such a human, with no visible flaws. It also annoyed me she was crushing on my crush. Only now did I realize how petty I was.

His name was Jason McKinley. Tall and also perfect. Black hair that fell so perfectly to cover his mahogany eyes. Freckles that littered his face added to the look, and it helped that his face seemed to be stuck in a permanent but perfect smile. The only reason few girls notice him is because he is in the chess and drama club. Not just in them, but leader of both. The ultimate nerd to most people. Which is why I can't understand why Audrey was crushing on him.

You don't think the Queen of the School should fall for the Chess King? Neither did I.

And it so happened while I was in that forest with Audrey I let slip my complicated feelings for Jason. She did not take it well.

I can't remember exactly what happened after she told me about last Friday. Apparently she had kissed him. She had kissed the boy who I wanted. Who I had agonized and craved for. Then it happened. I didn't know what.

I felt a strange power enter me. Ice trickled down my spine, seeping into my blood filled veins. My skin felt like it was on fire. Tiny hairs sprouted on every inch of skin, white hairs. My eyes twitched in pain, when I opened them again my sight had changed. Instead of colour it was in black and white. But everything seemed different. I could see the things that thought they were sly by hiding in the shadows. My face elongated and took on a feline shape. I felt my spine droop and I fell down on all fours. My fingers and toes melted together, becoming paws. The tiny muscles in my human body seemed to fluctuate and strengthen, giving me the power I so lacked as a human.

And all of a sudden, it was over.

I was a _lion_.

Audrey had frozen in fear. A strange voice seemed to fill my head. Kill her. I felt no fear or shame in what I did. In Audrey's frightened state, I didn't see a human. I saw a meal. I leaped, my new body was itching for a kill. But I also seemed to be blinded. I only felt the rush of adrenaline and hatred. I only saw a mix of what I thought was her blood and my claws. It was over before she could scream. Her body was laying mangled on the snow. Her eyes lifeless, devoid of any emotion. The contents of her body spilled out, coating the snow in blood. I was still hungry. The blood screamed at my nostrils.

_Eat her._

I feasted.

I gorged.

I fled. 

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><p><strong>Well, hopefully it doesn't completely suck. Hope you enjoyed it, more is to come!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, I absolutely love those people who reviewed. I finally understand that saying I've heard.  
>"Reviews are like crack" Ah drug references, my favorite kind of reference.<br>And, as a sort of thank-you, I give you the next chapter of the story. But, from now on, I will try to update every Friday night. Or sometime around the weekend. Oh well, enough of my rambling! On with the story.

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><p>That was three months ago.<p>

Three long months.

Her death was on every newspaper in the state. On everyone's mind. It sickened me how much the loss of one person had on a community. One insignificant person. Thousands die in other places all around the world and don't even get the respect of being buried. Just left out to rot and to be picked apart by the scavengers. I didn't give Audrey's body that honour. She didn't deserve the company of scavengers.

_**"Audre****y Smith Found in Cannon Forest"**_

_**"Suspected animal attack in Cannon Forest"**_

_**"School Mourns Loss of Audrey Smith"**_

_**"Police Warning All to Stay Indoors Until Animal Captured"**_

And did anybody notice the missing girl?  
>The girl who was last seen with Audrey entering the forest?<br>No!  
>All they had eyes for was Audrey. All they ever had eyes for was Audrey! Never the homeless people who still struggle to get by every day. Not the thousands starving in third world countries. Just the perfection that was Audrey.<p>

Not Anne Iron. Apparently I never existed to them.

As the people recovered, I noticed that a few words were dedicated to me in the newspaper.

_**"Anne Iron Disappearance, Police Have No Leads"**_

I watched with great amusement as our incompetent police pieced the puzzle together. That maybe it wasn't an animal attack. Maybe it was just the weird teenager who somehow made it look like an animal attack.

It took them too long to notice. It always takes people too long to notice the simple things.

_**"Anne Iron wanted for questioning"**_

_**"Anne Iron Lead Suspect in Audrey Smith's Death"  
><strong>_  
>This was the most fun I had ever had. Being a killer in hiding can be quite a boost to your self-esteem.<p>

They never thought to look for me in the very same forest where I murdered my best friend. But even if they did, they would only see a hawk. A white hawk. I had found out about my second ability when my mind recovered after my feast. One second I was a very satisfied lioness, the next I was a hawk flying. So strange my life is turning out to be.  
>As a hawk I began to understand my power. The shape-shifting abilities I was given. This must have been God's gift to me. But a gift for what? What did he take away from me? What was I missing? It angered me. What further enraged me was I had no clue what to do with my gift.<p>

Help people? Kill my enemies?

It was the last thing that eluded me. It burned inside of me, it spread through my mind like poison. A strange voice had also came to me after Audrey's death. I liked it, it kept me company in my solitude. I once asked it what I should do with my powers.

_I am the voice, not the answer.  
><em>  
>It could not help. It was content with staying in the back of my mind, giving me advice that was not related to my question. My only friend left in this world.<p>

As the flowers bloomed and the snow melted I began to feel strange. Angry and sick too.

The bright colours that flooded my vision made my blood boil. They had no right to move on from the horrible thing that had happened here. In the very same spot where Audrey had died, the flowers seemed to be stronger and brighter. The flowers seemed to be a message of my crime. I believe they were forcing me into remorse, but I was more powerful. I did not have to listen. The voice said I did not have to listen.

They actually reminded me of Audrey in a way. How I hate them, but used to love them. So beautiful, but hiding a darker meaning. The flowers darker meaning was that they grew on decayed bits of flesh. And I'm still figuring out was Audrey's darker meaning is. I know she has one. But while I was thinking about that I figured something out. I know what her only purpose in life was. Why she was born perfect.

She was created to be my best friend.

And my first kill.

I sometimes wonder what would happen if I turned myself in. They would think I am insane. No one would ever understand except the voice. Another reason why I adored it.

But what would happen? Would I be held in some prison where I couldn't morph? This is the only way I want to live anymore. As either a lioness or a hawk. Never again as a human.

Would I just be killed on the spot?

_They would kill you._

There it is. The voice.

It guides me always.  
><em><br>Stay in hiding. Stay in the forest with me. And only with me._

Yes, that sounds excellent. My family has probably already moved on. They never cared what I did. Once I left for a camping trip for half a month. They thought I had shut myself in my room the entire time. How foolish of them.

_They don't care, only I do._  
>I slowly closed my eyes.<br>This voice understood. I sensed it will be the only thing to ever love me.  
>To never betray me.<br>Always be with me.

_Yes...Sleep..._


	3. Chapter 3

And time for another wonderful chapter! Thanks to each person who reviewed so far. And don't worry, the X-Men characters will come in soon. In like one or two chapters. So, incase you have any questions, just send me a message and I'll answer as fast as possible. Also, a favor. Incase Anne becomes a Mary-Sue warn me, and incase any of the characters become OOC. This chapter might be a little slow, but it is leading up to some action in the next chapter. And once again thanks to all of you nice people for reviewing or just caring enough to read the 2nd chapter.

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><p><em>Get up!<br>_  
>That was how every single day started. The voice calling to me. Echoing in my mind. Telling me to wake and leave the horrid dreams that filled my sleep.<br>Each time it called I was startled. The voice was my friend, but I always had trouble waking up. When I was human I had wonderful dreams, I never wanted to leave them. Even with these nightmares, I still don't want to leave them. The fear I gain from them makes me strong. Or so the voice tells me. Fear and pain make one strong.

I trusted the voice on that. As a human I really didn't feel much pain, and I did not fear much. I didn't have to care. In ignorance, no one gives a damn about your thoughts, so I need not have any. But with what these dreams give me, I feel powerful. Fear guards the mind from safety. The voice says no where is safe. Safety is a lie that adults tell us. A way to make us not worry about the world and all its wonderful dangers.

_Time to train._

Another sentence I heard every morning. The voice new much. It new how to unlock the secrets of the hawk and of the lioness. It taught me how to fly properly. To ride the thermals with grace. Float across the wind like honey, smooth and graceful. It even taught me how to hunt as a hawk. The rabbit population had taken a blow because of me. Killing things made the voice happy. And when the voice was happy, I was happy.

_To train is to hide. In hiding, we are as safe as possible. No one can bother us if we can fly. No one can harm us ever again. Not the police, not the parents, not even yourself. In training, you protect yourself. You protect us!  
><em>  
>Each time the voice would usher me on. It reminded me of my old gym teacher sometimes. Yelling at us to improve, but really only wanting what is best for us. It new all the right things to say. Where no one else could find the right words, it could. Another way I loved it. I could never get up with its encouragment.<p>

But I could not shake the feeling, the feeling that I had somehow recognized this voice. It was that of a teenage girl's. It sounded sweet, perfect. Happy too. I think it is happy because I love it very much. Still, it was so eerily familiar but so far away. Like a word you have on the tip of your tongue, but no matter how hard you think it does not come to you.

Night came faster than I wanted it to. I didn't like going to sleep, even though the voice said I was staying healthy by sleeping. Even as a human I didn't like going to sleep. It made me feel nervous, closing my eyes and only seeing the darkness that is the inside of my eyelids. Atleast in dreams I could get images, they weren't just darkness.

_Rest, be healthy for training. We will do this for a long time and I want you to be healthy. I do this for you, for us. _

And so I slept. The voice had done so much for me, the least I could do for it was going to sleep every night and waking every day when it asked. We switched from training my hawk form to my lioness form. My lioness body was powerful, lean and muscular. Everything I wasn't as a human. I was taught to shred things and fight. Of course, I fought trees but that was the best we could do. The voice could only do so much. It taught me to stand on my back legs and carry on with a flurry of slashes with my front paws. Many a tree were practically destroyed by my fury. Burning of this rage made me feel whole, sane even. And in the event that someone came, I was taught to hide. When I hid not even the worms that lived in the dirt could find me.

I'm not sure how long this was happening. I lost track of the days long ago. As I trained, the leaves turned their rusty brown before dying and returning to the forest floor. This was my favorite time of year, and the voice eased up on the training. They in turn were covered by the ice filled breath of winter. The voice pushed me the most around this time. As if it were angry for some reason. It always assured me I was not to blame. That is was the illusion of safety to blame. As with every winter, the snow and ice melted and the plants regained supremacy in the forests.

The rains that fueled the flower's life stopped a short time ago.

And my training was about to pay off.


	4. Chapter 4

Well, another chapter! Funny, this was supposed to be like 800 words. Not like a 1000 or something. Guess it makes up for the next chapter. And what also makes this funny is I was watching AFV while typing this. Hilarious! Anyway, since no one probably cares what I was doing while typing this, just enjoy the chapter. Hopefully this will explain where the voice comes from. Well, it will if you pay attention.

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><p>There were three.<p>

Two parents and their young son.  
>They had decided it was a perfect time of year to go camping.<br>I thought they were stupid. Like they didn't know what happened here. Either they knew and were ignorant or didn't know and thought this forest looked welcoming. How wrong they were.

They were all going to _die.  
><em>  
>I watched and waited. I hid in the shadows every morning and saw their every move. Saw the way they treated each other. The parents didn't get along very well. Every time they looked at each other made me cringe. So much hate was in their eyes, in their voices. And the way the Mother glanced at her son so strangely. Like with a flick of the wrist he could kill her. He seemed special. It angered me that the parents could not treat their son right, he deserved more respect. Something about him reminded me of myself. How different we were. Like we were family. But the boy couldn t have been a day over nine. He could not be related to me, but still it was like something was secretly connecting me to him.<p>

_Time for a test. I have trained you for this moment. Strike with all the anger and hate I have given you. Kill with the passion of blood in your veins. _

I waited until it was night. The shadows hide me. Darkness is my brother, it shields me before I can attack.  
>The waxing moon hung in the sky like a scared child hiding from the anger of her parents. Strange, it was like the family down here. But the Moon would be able to live on. I would not give the family the pleasure of living on. They will regret ever coming to my forest.<p>

The father was sleeping outside on a bed roll. He never slept with his family. He was as far away from the boy as he could get. And even farther away from the mother. Strange also the mother the same way, but in a small, one person tent. I always thought parents were supposed to love their child. After all, they created him. If you're not going to pay any attention to it why not abandon it at some church? A bug cares more for their children then these parents for their one child.

My lioness body inched closer to him. I was ready to kill. Eager to end a life.

_Now!_

The voice always had perfect timing.

With a slash, he was gone.

I decided the Mother was next. The child must be witness to the death of his parents.  
>And the voice had told me to let the body rot. I always did what the voice wanted. Why shouldn't I?<br>The Mother came out of her tent and before she could utter a scream, my fangs met the soft flesh of that which is her neck. Or was her neck anyway.  
>Her death was too quick, they all needed to suffer. The boy was next.<p>

_Hear him scream. _

_Let him see the blood you have spilled._

The voice decided it best to wait until morning. Let me rest a bit. Killing is a tiring business. The light was only starting to appear when he woke up. I could hear his breathing had become a little ragged. It did that every time he woke up. Like he was upset to wake up. As he left his tent and saw the bloody things that used to be his parents he screamed.

He screamed when he saw me stalking towards him.

He screamed with every step I took.

I could see every vein in him, crying out to me. They were pleading to me, ordering me to spill his blood and watch him rot. Those requests would not go un-noticed.

I was close enough for the kill when the voice just screamed.

_No! Let him go._

I stopped dead in my tracks. Waves of confusion spread across my face. The child took no time in running, shreiking terror at what he had just witnessed.

I was angry though. My claws itched terribly, it was almost painful. The blood made my furious, and I needed to release this anger.

_Why!_

I screamed in my head. It was the first time I had said anything to the voice. The first time I had spoken in who knows how long. I almost forgot what I even sounded like. I just never said anything anymore. No need to speak when the voice guided me.

_They will know to stay away from us. This forest will be ours._

Yes, that made perfect sense. Even though I still felt horrid for letting the kill get away, I now knew it must be done. It would take too long for others to actually find the bodies.

**Or we could be destroyed if they don't stay away. **

That...that was not the first voice. It was masculine. Not the appealing sound that makes me feel okay, not the first voice.

We should just give ourselves up now.

Another voice. This one was feminine, and weak. I did not like this, not at all. My mind was only home to the first voice. Not these ones.

_Yes, I wondered if this would happen. You see, these are two new guests. They will be living with us, but not commanding us. Servents if you think about it enough. No need to worry, they can only talk. They can't do anything I can. They aren't strong like you and I. They are nothing._

If the first voice said it was okay, then it was. The first voice was always right.

I had learned that lesson a thousand times over. 

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><p>Okay, no more chapters until Friday! And it will be a very short chapter at that.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Alright, I am like insanely sorry. This was meant to be longer, but I had a fricked up week. And I need to post this, to explain a few things and set up for the next chapter. And this will probably be the shortest chapter ever. Ugh, I feel like slapping myself for such a short chapter. Oh well, this just shows how much I suck as an author. Well, enjoy!

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><p>1963<p>

I did not know what month was. I could have kept track, but the first voice said I didn't need to know. It said I didn't need to know a lot of things. Like when my birthday is, it made me forget that. We spent days cleaning my mind. Getting rid of all the things I didn't need anymore. So many years I had dedicated to learning things, only to have them thrown away. The first voice decided everything for me. I never needed to care for things anymore. Almost everything we got rid of was related to me being human. I always wondered why. Then one day the first voice said I was never going to be human again. Never go back to humanity.

I liked that.

Besides, I would never be alone. The voices would keep me company. They were the only family I ever needed. They were always there to listen. No human ever listened to me like they did. And I would never have to talk to anyone who didn't care ever again. No more humans. No more human body. I was actually losing my touch with humanity, the first voice wanted me to forget about being human. So I stopped remembering my old life.

And I stopped caring a long time ago about being human.

The voices were now being a constant reminder of everything that had happened to me. The instant all four of us were one, living in one mind. They remember everything. We kept control of different things. Four things living in one body meant less work. It was easier on all of us.

I was in control of the body. I would take the commands of the first voice and the first voice alone. The other two did not have as much authority. The first voice said I never have to listen to them. Only control the body of the lioness or hawk. I followed the first voice's orders. It was always right.

The second voice, the masculine one. The first voice said to refer to it as a he. The first voice granted him the gift of my five senses. He would be my eyes. He would by my ears. It was so I could focus on controlling the body. He did his job well, I could hear ten times better than before. Before it was just me and the first voice, we had to split the duties.

The third voice. The female one. It was the weakest, so pitiful. Always crying out as if she were trapped. She annoyed me the most, I hated her. She was practically useless, the first voice let her only be in charge of one thing. And her task was to make sure everything inside of the body was running well. To heal any wounds I may have accidentally inflicted on myself. Which was rare, because I was careful. Another part was to remind me to eat and drink. To rest and recover. I often forgot to do those things. I was too consumed with the first voice and all its wisdom.

Now to my best friend. The first voice. The one that came to me after Audrey died. In fact, all the voices came to me after someone died. Like a gift almost. The first voice controlled my mind. The ruler really. It told me what to think, what to remember, what to do. It was able to find everything I had buried in my thoughts. I couldn't hide anything from it. Which is why it will be the only thing to ever understand me. Since I could hide nothing from it, we had no secrets. But we could keep secrets from the second and third voices.

We did our tasks for weeks. Just all four of us alone in one forest. No human had dared to stray into our world. We didn't know what happened to the boy. But every time we mentioned it the third voice would start crying. Like she once cared for it. The first voice said that leaving the boy to live worked. That we could never be bothered again.

For the first time ever, the first voice was wrong.

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><p>Alright, for everyone tired of waiting for some actual plot line to start, you need not wait any longer. Don't worry! The next chapter will have our favorite two mutants!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

_One Day Later_

Dawn was breaking. The light was almost finished in hunting down the shadows that had taken it's absence. We all thought it was beautiful. Light could be so angry sometimes, so vengeful.  
>Yet, the darkness won on only one front. The shadows. They were the only thing the light couldn t touch.<br>_We are the shadows.  
><em>Might as well be.  
>I always thought that, one day, the shadows could strike back. Take out the light and have it never come back. That would be when the shadows won, when we won. The first voice said we would win solitude. That would be nice.<p>

The second voice picked up something strange. Two people were crashing through the forest on unsteady legs. The thick vegitation was making it hard for them. Which is why they don't belong here, only the voices and I belong here.

"Do we really have to go through all of this just for one person? You heard the locals, they're completely terrified of this place."One of them said. It was the taller one. My clever lioness eyes could see their every movement.

"And did you hear that one child? The one who lost his parents here? He said that a demon had killed them. I think it was only one disturbed mutant with no control over her mutation." The second one to speak sounded clever. Smart too. His voice seemed confident, warm and comforting. And it helped that he didn't look half bad either.

"Seems more like trouble for the rest of us. An unstable murderer could be risky." The first one just wanted to leave my forest. I bet he was just tired of stomping around the woods for a bloody hour.

The second one smirked when he mentioned the word murderer.

" Really, Erik? You're worried about bringing a murderer here when you yourself are one?"

That seemed to shut him up. Good, I didn't like it when Erik was talking.

_Get closer._

So I did. I inched forward like stalking a piece of prey, and even though I accidentally crushed a twig, I was sure they didn't hear me. They were too busy calmly arguing. I never thought you could argue peacefully, but the one talking to Erik could achieve that.

"Since you don't want to be here, why don't you go back to the car?"

"And leave you alone, Charles? Now for being a telepath, that was a pretty stupid suggestion." So that was the second one's name. Anyone with a name like that must have had a rich family.

They must have been very stupid. I was practically right on top of them. Of course, they probably didn't have much training in the forest. But they didn't have to look very hard for a white lioness in a bush.

All of a sudden I felt a fifth mind in my head. It was here for a second, and then gone. It certainly left all four of us confused.

"Found our friend."

I didn't know what came over me. In a moment of pure stupidity I walked out of my hiding place. I must have looked magnificant though, a healthy and strong lioness just stepping out of a bush. A threatening roar was enough to send them a few feet back.

"Our _friend _doesn't seem to friendly." Erik mumbled angrily.

"Very curious mutation though. Like Raven's but instead of with people, she has it with animals." I thought if very strange when he put his hand up to his temple.

The fifth mind was back, and had a much more powerful presence than it did before. I fancied I heard a voice saying to stay calm and saying it would help. I didn't need any help! The voices were all I needed.

_I can make the voices go away._

That was not the first voice. It was the one called Charles.

I did not want the voices to go away! They could help me understand myself. My body could have no secrets.

Something happened though. A part of me seemed to melt away. It was extremely disturbing.

_Better?_

What just happened? Then I noticed it. The second voice is gone. It didn't even make a noise. I scrambled to regain the full control of my senses, I was temporarily deaf while I remembered how to listen.

The third voice sooned followed. But when it left, it seemed happy. It was not supposed to be happy to leave. It should be sad, not happy.

Then I realized I only had one more voice to go. The first voice.

A thousand different screams of pain erupting from one mind. From my mind. Each time this Chalres tried to force the first voice away it screamed. And in turn, my lioness body went into a series of spasms. I could not tell what the Eril was doing, but I do know he wasn't doing much of anything to help.

_Get out!_

The first voice screamed at the person who was trying to banish it from my head. I always knew, if the voices were ever going to leave, that this voice would put up a fight. It made me fight and kill, so naturally it would fight and kill too.

I felt helpless. Too helpless. How could I only lay here while this handsome man battled the ferocious demon in my head? But what could I do? I had lost control when I killed Audrey. I had lost even more of my mind when I killed those two parents, and was confused on why the first voice wanted the child to live.

But like a obedient child I obeyed. How could I be so stupid! I was the destroyer of myself, not the first voice. I let it take control without doing anything and was now forcing an innocent to deal with my mistakes.

_Listen to me Anne! Destroy him!_

Anne.

My name.

I had not heard my name for a long time. But it couldn't belong to me anymore, I could not be Anne anymore. I could not listen to the first voice anymore. It was trying to use me, win the favor of my thoughts by simply calling me by a name that was not mine anymore. Months ago it said I had to forget about my name and not use it. Now the first voice was going back on its own command? It must think I am weak.

I had little energy. The fight in my mind was forcing my lioness body to thrash around constantly. It was tiring. But I still had to do something.  
>I focused all my energy to my thoughts. Trying to make them forceful. Trying to help him get rid of the first voice.<p>

It was working.

I almost had my entire mind back. The first voice was almost gone.

_Good. Help me to help yourself._

I liked the new voice that had entered my head. I liked hearing someone besides the first voice. Made me feel warmth spread through my body when ever he talked in my head.

The first voice was almost gone. Almost destroyed. I almost had my mind.

_I will be back  
><em>

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><p>And the next chapter will be uploaded on Friday. I have to go see the movie again to remember everything that happens. Well, enjoy reading and re-reading the chapters until then!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Yay, another glorious chapter. Filled with talking. Joy.

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><p>So many questions flooded my mind. Some of them were answered, but most of them were about myself. The first voice had taken away so many things. I couldn't even remember my own birth-date. Or the months for that matter. Everything that was common knowledge was gone. In the car ride back to the "safe" government facility was when I was told all that happened in the past year. No matter what anyone told me, no where is safe. I had missed so much.<p>

Charles told me I had blacked out after the first voice had left. And that his friend Erik wasn't too happy about having to carry a three hundred pound lioness to the back of the car. And apparently before I had woken up, the two had been bickering in the car. From what I was told it was about me. Why go through all the trouble for a confused shape-shifting girl?

But he had defended me. Which also left me confused. He defended a murderer. But he cared enough to get rid of the voices, so I assumed he would only do that too. But for someone who lived in the woods for an entire year? Someone being trained by a voice who took over my mind? No sane person would defend the likes of me.

But I do guess that no one here is sane. In the short time that I have been here I have already met some strange people. Here I go thinking I was just born un-lucky, cursed to be haunted when ever I kill someone. To be alone. But I did feel a little bad for hand-foot boy. At least I could look like a normal animal. Just couldn't turn back to human.

_Just concentrate. You can do it. Don't let your power control you._

I could only communicate with him. Even though I was near people, I couldn't talk to them. No one else could enter my thoughts and hear them. In truth, I didn't mind being able to only talk with one person. Everyone else seemed to not like me. They would stay away from me, glancing at me every now and then as if I were going to attack at any moment. It was like they knew everything I had done in the past year.

_I've tried. I just can't do it Charles. I'm stuck as a hawk and a lion forever. Doomed to only talk to one person. This is my fault for killing three people, I deserve it. _

It truly was hopeless. I focused my energy like I did when I wanted to change between the two animals I could control. It would never work. Like when the first voice left it took my humanity along with it.

I currently was in hawk morph, which is really my favorite of the two. Much more appealing. My talons dug impatiently into the arm of the couch where I was perched on. The beige leather could do nothing against my thorn sharp weapons. I presume he could tell I was upset. Anyone could tell I was upset, even as an animal you can never hide your feelings.

_Don't be like that. And how many times do I have to tell you? That was never your fault. And you're starting to make me feel depressed._

I can't tell if that was supposed to cheer me up or not. I guess for a more sane person it would seem stupid, but it did actually cheer me up. My twisted mind found that funny.

_S'what do we do now? If you are good enough to get rid of the voices you must have a plan._

I watched him. When I thought 'voices' a flash of concern traveled across his face. It was nice to know he really did care about me. Or at least deemed my sanity worth enough to be cared about.

_Actually, you and the others have to stay here. Moira, Erik, and I have to leave for awhile. If we succeed we all might not have to worry._

I shifted my wings uncomfortably. I didn t want to be alone with those who couldn't understand me or talk to me. In fact, I didn't want to be apart from the one who could talk to me. In truth, he reminded me of someone. Someone a long time ago, who I think triggered my powers somehow. When the first voice left, it took some of my memories. Not just the ones it had trained out of me, but the ones we lived over and over again every single day. Some areas were gray, foggy. I wanted to know what it had took, if I was missing anything important.

_And what will happen if you do succeed? We'll go back to where ever we came from and forgot about again? _

_Don't worry, you'll be perfectly safe here. The government has this place locked down, completely safe. And we'll answer that question when it comes. But what ever happens, everything will turn out fine. I will make sure of it._

But as he thought that, I had the strangest feeling. It gnawed at me terribly.

No where is safe, not when you're a freak like me.


	8. Chapter 8

It was night. The others had spent their time showing off, and managed to not destroy anything. Again. No one was happy when we were yelled at for destroying a statue and window. I didn't enjoy that at all. I never liked it when anybody yelled at anyone. Even though I didn't participate in the destruction. Well, I _might _have accidentally scared the living daylights out of a guard but that wasn't my fault.

We were in our small area, well furnished but it felt too open. My lioness body was sprawled out on the rug, everyone carefully stepping over me. An hour ago the hand-footed boy stepped on my tail. I growled and feinted a slash at him, knowing I would scare him. Actually it gave them all quite a fright. They were careful around me after that. No one wanted to hear that growl again.

I didn't know what to think of the others. The one who could change her appearance wasn't favorable. When ever she looked at me, it just wasn't a kind look. She reminds me of Audrey in a way, normal on the outside but deceitful on the inside. I also didn't like the butterfly girl. Her past was degrading, and she looked like she only cared for herself.

Hand-footed boy was alright. Other than stepping on my tail he seemed normal enough. The blonde male one hasn't done anything to catch my attention. I do admit, he has an interesting power. Red rings of death. The ginger haired one was fine too. Other than being a little too full of himself.  
>The last one, the cab driver. I did not know what to think of him. At first, he seemed cocky. But he also seemed like he would be that one guy who was the base of the team. A fall back guy who we could tell anything. Weird feeling I got from him.<p>

A dull thump sounded from outside. My clever ears were the first to pick it up, but the others soon heard it also. Another followed, the same noise. I heard them talking, but I was concentrating on the noise. A few seconds before each thump was the faintest _bamf_ noise. I could barely pick it up, so it would be impossible for anyone else to hear it.

Then we saw it.

The noise was people falling from the sky. The blonde girl screamed. It sounded so pathetic. Guards came out of no where, covering the area where the destroyed statue was. They had guns. Another told us to stay here, like we were children who couldn't help.  
>That annoyed me. My annoyance continued because the situation made me scared, I didn't like being scared. My lioness body had more powerful maternal instincts than my human body had. I naturally got up and my five and a half foot long feline body took on a defensive position around the others.<p>

They moved around me and out the door. Which wasn't a very smart move because we were told to stay here. It could not have been more than a few seconds before they came back and we assumed that position again. The cab driver was doing something like me, I knew that my previous assumption was correct. A red being was making quick work of the guards outside. A twister and sprung up on the other side of the building and taken out the machine that Charles had used to find us.

There was no escape.

With the last of the guards finished, a red demon-like being came through the broken window. A random guard had been thrown through the other one, where a surprisingly well dressed man followed. He almost looked too smart to be associating with these type of people. Through the actual doors came an aging man. He looked old, but healthy. I could tell by the way he held himself he commanded great authority.

"Well, good evening. My name is Sebastian Shaw."

I didn't know what to do. The others were scared.

I _had_ to protect them.

In a fit of rage I lunged at him. Everything went along like it was in slow motion. I, as a lioness, lunged through the air. The red man appeared out of no where, brandishing a knife. I felt something slice deep into front left leg and hurl me across the room. I landed with a loud crash on the side of a table.

The pain in my leg was unimaginable. I'm guessing it cut something important.  
>One of the others screamed, I believe it was one of the girls. But when male teenagers scream they can come across as a very girl-like shriek.<br>I craned my neck to look at the wound. The blood welled out like a never ending fountain. The one called Shaw was talking to the others. He motioned to me and the others looked even more frightened.

I must have been some type of an example. Don't do what he says and be sliced by his henchmen.

The three strangers moved out to the window. The butterfly girl went to them. I knew she couldn't be trusted.

Surprisingly, the cab driver went after her. The blonde boy moved closer to them.

I was so confused. I could barely understand this, and each wave of pain further settled my mind into confusion. Than the cab driver sheltered the betrayer and the blonde boy summoned up his red rings of death. He directed them at Shaw and his two friends. I did not see the end results, for I had laid my head back down on the plush carpet. I knew I shouldn't have, but I decided it would be best. My leg was now soaked in my own blood, warm and sticky.

I closed my eyes, ready for sleep.

But a strange feeling came over me. My mind was sick of this pain. I felt many things. My arms and legs changing, my muscles shrinking. Everything was changing. But it was not what happened when I changed into a hawk. When I felt it was over, I turned my head over to my leg again.

Scratch that, my _human_ arm.


	9. Chapter 9

Well, thanks for everyone reviewing! Makes me feel good, and me feeling good means more chapters!

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><p>From what I hear, the cab driver had died. The butterfly girl had left. The betrayer. I was helped by the hand-footed boy. I actually learned his name too. It was Hank. Apparently he had knowledge of medicine, and was able to temporarily stitch up my arm before I was sent to a local hospital. They were told to just fix my arm and than return me to the now destroyed base. And so they did. They were much like me back in the forest. Just being told what to do, and following that order with out question. Hank actually went with me. I bet it was to make sure I didn't accidentally show my powers, but I had no energy left to morph.<p>

It was so strange being human again. At first walking was near impossible, but it is like riding a bike. You never forget. I dare not risk turning into a lioness or hawk. If pain like that was the only way to change back into a human body than I will never morph again. I couldn't risk it. I was scared to be a lioness or hawk again, scared the voices might come back.

My arm was now only a dull throb, having only gotten out of surgery less than half an hour ago. The ride back was pure torture. I didn't want to see the destruction that I couldn't prevent. The people I couldn't save. All of it will be remembered in my wound. They put it in a sling so I could barely move it. The cut was deep, and required many stitches.

I didn't feel like talking to the others. They seemed more relaxed now that they have seen what I actually look like. Besides the occasional "How are you doing?" question they left me alone.

It was like being in the forest again.

But no voices were here for comfort.

We were waiting in an area outside of the stairs that led to the main entrance. I was told we were waiting for the others.  
>Not fifteen minutes later did a car pull up and three people got out. It was Charles, Erik, and Moira. Genuine concern flashed over their faces as they saw the destruction.<p>

They surely must have been told what happened, but seeing the place that seemed so safe in complete ruins must have surly been a shock.

I heard the Moira ask, "Who is she?" and gesture over to me.

Right, none of them had seen me as a human.

It seemed like her gaze bore into my skull. My arm seemed to triple in pain by her mere gaze. I didn't like it when people stared at me. Erik also seemed confused. Two pairs of eyes were now staring at me. I turned away and focused on my feet.

Than the last person with them also noticed. His eyes slid down for a moment, then back up quickly when he noticed I was looking back. He must have been looking at my arm, I was sure of it.

I wasn't much to look at. My black hair was scraggly, I rarely did much to it, even before my mutation happened. Sure I was tall, but rather bony. Few curves, and I didn't have much in the chest area either. I wasn't heavy, skinny actually. Some would say too much, but I eat what they eat and gain little wieght, and I never exercised much. Which left me confused on why I was skinny. My skin wasn't pale, but much lighter than most people. All these things contributed to the fact that I rarely went on a date. Like one or two in my life.

_How do you feel, Anne?  
><em>  
>Of course, he talks to me in my head. I was human now, I had a mouth.<p>

_How do you think I feel? I got my arm cut open to protect them. It ended with the butterfly girl betraying us and the cab driver dying. I can't even remember their names!_

Yes, I was upset. Well, angry to say the least. Being angry is better than bursting out crying at any moment. In truth I just needed to feel angry. Some long ago lesson from the first voice. How anger made one feel better. I also needed be upset with somebody other then myself. I was sorry it had to be him, but he talked to me first so he only had it coming.

_You're human again. That has to matter._

_If I'm human then why can't you talk to me like normal people would? You're not a cripple, you have legs. * _

I didn't know why I was so angry. The fact I didn't know why I was angry, well made me angrier. He took awhile to answer back, he was talking to Erik as he was talking to me in his head.

_You have legs too. And you choose to sulk away from the group because you couldn't protect them. Like you couldn't protect yourself from your own mind. Like you couldn't stop yourself from killing those parents and leaving the boy alone. Like you couldn't stop from killing Audrey. _

How could he know about Audrey? I didn't want to remember Audrey.

Too many bad things happened when I killed her. The voices came and took over. I don t want them back. To think of it brings more pain to me then my arm does.

In reality I was farther away from the group than I thought. They would occasionally glance over to me, but always looked away if I looked back. It was like they were scared of me.

Why should they? I tried to protect them!

_Come over here Anne. Join the group for once. I already told them about the new plan. We aren t staying here anymore. Leaving for a new, safer, place. I ll tell you if you come over here._

Tempting, very tempting.

A new plan, hopefully it worked out better then staying in a safe facility like this one. I couldn't handle anymore "safe" places or things that went to heck.  
>The Cannon forest was supposed to be "safe".<p>

Then I murdered three people and that went to heck. Now this place too. But this had many more deaths.

_I suppose it would be better then staying here.  
><em>

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><p><em>* <em>I'm sorry, just had to do that little joke.

And I am also sorry if anyone thought that would be more dramatic. But the next chapter is where we disect the relationships that I am starting to build around various people. I'm not sure if anyone caught that little hint in chapter 6 but I will be exploring that a little. So if anyone is looking for action in the next two chapters, just stop looking forward to it. I'm not an action writer, which is why we have so much talk in this chapter. _  
><em>


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, this will be kind of a longer chapter because I kind of split the next chapter in two. Which is why the next one is going to be a bit(Or really)short. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! And enjoy the chapter.

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><p>And indeed it was better. I was never told that Charles came from a filthy rich family. Everyone just conveniently left that bit of information out. I was still a bit mad at him. Mainly because I couldn't figure out why I was angry. I believe it was related to Audrey somehow. I hate it when people mention her.<p>

His adopted sister had showed me a room where I was going to stay. It was the most luxurious place I have ever stayed in. Made my old house look like purgatory. Rugs covered the polished wood floor. A bed was shoved up against a wall, it looked at least a foot higher then it actually was because of the blankets on it. But a fine layer of dust covered everything. I could tell these rooms haven't been used for a long time.

"D'you want go for a walk?"

Right, she was still here. I was too busy absorbing my surroundings. I thought she had left. If only I could remember her name, otherwise that might lead to some awkward moments. It was some type of bird. Yes, Raven. I am terrible with names. Like my ability to remember things about people has been lost.

I did not want to hear my voice. I could barely stand to speak in my head. My own voice sickened me. So I simply shook my head. I wondered why she even offered. She had not said one word to me except for that sentence.

I heard her footsteps fade down the hallway. She might be upset with me.  
>I think she was trying to become friends with me. I bet I made her a bit angry by rejecting her offer. After all, she was trying to be kind.<p>

I noticed that with every step she took, the floors creaked giving away her position.  
>This house must be ancient.<p>

The architecture further assured me. And the fact that everything in this room smelled twenty years old.

_You know Raven was only trying to be nice. You could have politely declined. _

Of course. He had to comment on everything I did. He might mean well, but he can't tell how angry it makes me.  
>For once I would like to be alone.<p>

And actually _alone_.

Not with him constantly listening. It was like the first voice all over again. I could not have any secrets. I could never be alone with my thoughts for company. But what would I think about? How angry I was with him?

_Alright, don't talk to me. Hank wants to talk to you though, I suggest coming downstairs. Or he could come up, what ever you prefer._

He is definitely not coming up here. Even though I consider him a friend, I didn't want anyone in my temporary room. Only now do I realize this entire time I have been standing in one spot. Strange, I get so wrapped up in my thoughts I forget to move my body.

_Fine, I'll meet him downstairs._

I didn't realize how much spite I put into that thought. I didn't want it to sound like that.  
>It made me feel selfish.<br>I hope he realized I didn't mean it.  
>I actually hope he realized I didn't mean for a lot of things to happen.<p>

It took me about a minute to get downstairs. Even though I tried to go as slow as possible, my legs would not listen and carried on normally. I did not want to see anyone else.  
>More specifically I didn't want to see him. He could talk to me in my mind all he wants, but I didn't want to actually see him speak. I do not know why though. It's not that I didn't like looking at him, but it made me feel extremely uncomfortable.<p>

Thankfully, it was only Hank. Everyone else must either be in their rooms or Raven might have offered a walk like she did to me.

He could tell I wasn t going to be the one to speak first. I was standing there for a full minute before he spoke up. Like he was nervous about talking to me.

"I just wanted to see how your arm was doing."

It was a completely innocent request. After all, he was the one to first help me while the others stood around scared. I didn't see why not.

Since I made no gesture telling him not to, he cautiously approached me. I hate it when people do that. I am not some feral creature.

Well, not anymore.

The wound was deep, and still fresh really. The stitches were holding up well. Or, I think they are.  
>I'm not one for medicine.<p>

"Do you mind if I ask a few questions?"

I didn't care. I couldn't hide anything anymore. A few questions would not hurt. But I would have to talk. I actually didn't believe any of them have heard my voice before. And for good reason. But I suppose I would have to suck it up and deal with it.

Again, since I gave no obvious objection to his question, he continued.

"When..." He paused like he didn't know what his question even was. "When did your mutation appear?"

I didn't exactly know how to answer. It was a delicate question. But I have to remember that I have no secrets anymore.

"Two years ago in December. I was in the forest with a friend,"I had to tell him this part. My voice had become extremely bitter. I did not even try to hide the pain and anger in my voice. "I was angry at what she had said. It happened and... She died." He froze a little, I could feel it. I thought everyone knew that I murdered three people. Apparently, only one other person knew. Unless they bothered to read a newspaper in the last year.

I could tell he was nervous to ask another question.

"Did anything happen after that?" That question kind of confused me. Was something supposed to happen? Or if something happened would that be abnormal?

Wait. Something did happen.

Something that I can't explain, In truth I did not know how to explain what happened.  
>How the first voice took over.<br>Only Charles even knew about the voices, because he's the one who got rid of them. It would be near impossible to explain.

Even though I considered him a friend, I did not want anyone to know what happened.

No one could know.

It was only a couple hours after Hank had examined my arm. Night was here and I would be going to sleep soon. But I was wandering the halls, bored but fairly interested at what I just saw. Which so happened to be a horde of spiders in an urn that was shoved into the back of the closet. Not my best decision ever.

And I was trying to avoid certain people. For one, Erik. He generally freaked me out. I had accidentally bumped into him coming back up to my room earlier. He gave me the death glare, which is another reason why I don t like him. I hope I never had to talk to him.

And than there was everybody else. After the examination of my arm by Hank, even though I considered him a friend, I felt like being alone. Too bad this silence wouldn't last.

"So what do you think of them"? I could have sworn my heart stopped. I was not expecting anyone else on this floor. It was Alex.

"Think of who how?" That was Sean. They must have rooms on this floor or something.

"Y'know who I'm talking about. Anne and Charles you idiot!" I felt my cheeks warm and redden. I didn't like it when people talked about me. And the fact these two were doing it in the presence of a telepath made it even worse.

"Well, I bet she will totally push him off. D'you see the way he looks at her? And that she never even glances at him?" Sean made a good point. But I never realized he looked at me.

When did this happen?

The few hours I have been here gave Charles enough time to look at me strangely and those two to gossip about it?

And it's that _noticeable?  
><em>

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><p>Alright, well that was a fun chapter to write. First time writing romance so the next two chapters are gonna be fun.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Alright, extremely sorry for not uploading this yesterday. Computer troubles. And I can't type when people sit next to me at the library for some reason.  
>Well, thanks for all the kind reviews.<p>

Amethyst Pheonix- All your reviews definitely make me feel like I can actually accomplish something by posting a story online  
>.roseXx- Okay, that review made my entire day.<br>juli 8D1819- I'm not sure if that was supposed to make me feel like a good writer or not. Glad to know Anne isn't an awful mary-sue.

Well enough of this. Onto the chapter!

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><p>"Personally I think the way he looks at her is kind of creepy," Alex comments.<p>

Okay, this was driving me insane. How can you look at someone creepily? And that they both saw all of this was still disturbing.

"The weirdest look I saw was when she was walking up the stairs. And his eye line followed her all the way up."

Oh God.

This was beyond disturbing. I didn't even realize he was behind me when I walked up the stairs.

"That is one of the less weird ones Sean. Did you even see him when we were in the car? He was having eye sex with her the entire time. Even Hank saw that." From the sound of his voice, I could tell Alex was pretty shocked that Sean didn't see that.

And what the heck is eye sex?

"Okay, can we at least agree on the creepiest moment that she hasn't noticed?" Sean suggests. A few seconds go by before Alex replies.

"Who's to say she actually noticed any of them?" I had to give Alex credit for that one. Considering my shock with this conversation, I have not noticed any of these moments. Well, except for that one this morning when he first saw me as a human. But I thought that was nothing, and apparently it was only the start of many look overs I have gotten today.

"Fair point. How about the creepiest moment that we both have noticed that she hasn't."

This moment of silence was longer.

A _lot_ longer.

How many creepy looks can one person get in one day? This could not be happening. But it is, so I have to suck it up and listen. Even though this is kind of interesting. I mean, who wouldn't want to hear about creepy looks they have been getting?

"It would definitely have to be when Hank was examining her arm. I saw Charles standing in the doorway, he could see them but they couldn't see him. He looked pissed," Alex says. "I never figured he would be the jealous type. And it was beyond creepy after Hank was done. If there were levels of eye sex you could give, like on a scale of one to ten, it would have been ten."

"Ten being the highest?" After Sean said that I heard a sound I couldn t identify followed by an ouch. Alex must have punched him or something.

"Of course you idiot!"

Alright, I was done with this. It was time to go back to my room now. They could gossip about me and Charles all they want, I absolutely did not want to hear it. I backed away from the door slowly, trying to not hit those extra creaky floorboards.

"S'when do you think he'll grow a pair and score?"

And that was the last thing I heard of their conversation.

~~~~~~  
>It was late evening on my second day here. My boredom was evident. The only funny thing that had happened so far was Sean getting pushed out of a window. Which frankly, I thought was hilarious.<br>And I tried to avoid everyone else for the entire day.

Except a certain telepath had conveniently been around every corner.

And through every door I walked through.

Which resulted in a lot of moments where I accidentally bumped into him. I'm pretty sure he planned every one of those moments.

But I do _this_ to say.

If he planned it, then it was one of the best plans ever.

I tell you, accidentally bumping into the person you like definitely makes you like them even more. And that feeling of ramming unexpectedly into his chest made me about melt. I'm sure he planned it so we would accidentally go chest-to-chest. And I also believe it gave Sean and Alex plenty to gossip about. Pretty much everyone else who saw it. Moira looked so jealous.

I think it is safe to say I have a massive crush on him. This is going to make me go insane. Those feelings I get every time I am around him makes me so confused. Especially the feeling that tells you to just shove the person you like up against a wall and start making out with them.

That was a rather confusing feeling.

The sun soon went away and was replaced by the glorious peace of the moon. I had long left the others for my temporary room.  
>I was content with laying in bed just thinking.<p>

Mainly about him.

Yes, I am fantasizing about him. Even though he's a professer, he must be well muscled and I assume that the beauty of his facial features matches the rest of his wonderful body. And you can't knock his hair. It looks so perfect. Just like the rest of him. Yet I can barely stand to say his name with out sending a little thrill down the base of my spine. I'm so surprised I haven't gotten a nose-bleed yet.

I soon realized how tired I was.

Who knew thinking about your crush makes you so sleepy?

My dream was not a good one.

Full-blown nightmare, really.

There were only shadows. A male child was screaming in the background. I gazed at my legs and only found the sight of lioness paws. This terrified me.

I was a monster again.

Fear ruled me. I ran through the darkness, desperate to feel anything but pain and misery. No matter how far I ran the light of day would never appear, I wouldn't tire either. When I glimpsed back all I saw was a decayed carcass. It was coming after me. No matter how fast I ran it would always be right behind me.

I tripped over a root that appeared out of no where. The darkness was hiding a forest.

Pure terror set in as I saw the carcass come closer and closer.

I frantically tried to get up and move but my body refused to move. The carcass was mere feet away when all of a sudden I felt my lioness body get replaced by my human body.

A warm hand touched my thigh and heat spread through me.  
>It was like another body had was laying beside me. Protecting me.<br>The carcass went away, so did the forest and darkness. It was instead replaced by a calming twilight. No actual place, but a sort of world made of colour. I loved it.  
>It helped me focus on the warmth that shielded me. Yes, even though I could not really move much I felt so warm and loved.<p>

The rest of the dreams were a blur, but the warmth was present in them all.


	12. Chapter 12

Alright, this is by far one of the best chapters I have ever typed. Well, I like this chapter.  
>So enjoy, and thanks for all the kind reviews!<p>

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><p>It was evening on the third day we were here. Everyone but me was having a wonderful time training. When ever Charles came up to me and asked if I wanted to work with my powers, I would always shrug it off and tell him I m not ready. He didn t like that I would not acknowledge my powers. But he would be kind and drop the matter.<p>

I was currently standing around in the kitchen with Hank and Erik.

The latter was making me uncomfortable. Which he really should not make me uncomfortable considering that we were both mutants but even the way he eats is kind of really intimidating.

My arm was healing up nicely. Stitches were the only reminder of what transpired that night. Hank and I were talking quietly, worried that we might disturb Erik with our conversation. You re not worried about what would happen if your powers sprung up in public? He was determined to get my answer on this question.  
>Considering that my power can change me into a bird, I could easily get away before they even noticed. But my powers don t give me a cosmetic problem. Either normal human, normal hawk, or normal lioness. I knew he did not like his mutation. Last I heard he was working on something to counter his mutation, but I wasn t sure it would work. I never liked science.<p>

"Don't you want to be normal though?"

"No. This is the best thing that ever happened to me. I found people who can accept me, and..." I was about to say something I knew I would regret. "Him." I said that so quietly, I wasn't even sure Hank heard what I said. This obviously alarmed him. I bet it was the fact I was glad for something he was cursed by.

"So you're happy that you killed three people and orphaned a child?" He commented loud enough for Erik to hear it.

That was a straight punch in the face. I didn't know what to say, but I'm pretty sure the look of horror that spread across my features expressed it all. Hank immediately regretted what he said.  
>I don't know why I did what I did.<br>All I remember after that was raising my hand and slapping my friend right across the face and storming out of the kitchen.

I was angry.

Upset and angry.

But mostly upset.

I felt like bursting into a thousand tears at that moment. What he said was too much. It struck too many nerves.

_So you're happy that you killed three people and orphaned a child?_

Yes, I stormed off and now isolated myself in my room. It seemed so childish, but it worked. They all understood how that made me feel, and I'm pretty sure Hank felt terrible for what he said. He must be beating himself up over this. We were good friends, and friends had fights.

But I wasn't sure if that counted with two _mutant_ friends, where one could easily slice the other open.

I was also embarrassed it happened in front of Erik. You did not want to be considered weak by him, he had that type of personality where he couldn t handle emotional people well. Or I assumed he had that type of personality. It sure must have been strange for him to witness Hank and I arguing, and then me slapping him.

They were probably trying to figure out what to do right now. If to just leave me alone and let me wallow in self-pity or send someone up. I m not sure what they were going to do, the sun was already beginning to fade and be taken over by darkness. I bet the problem was the dilemma of who to send up. No doubt Charles would come up. Considering the feelings that I know he has for me.

Not the fact that I didn t return the feelings, I was just unsure. I've never felt this way before, nobody makes me so confused like him. No one makes me feel like I m worth something, except for him. Audrey never made me feel special, if I haven't already talked about her personality enough, she is (Or was) an attention hog. Maybe Sean and Alex were right. Maybe we were supposed to be together. Maybe our lives would end up like some crappy romance novel.

In truth, I wouldn t mind that. My life has already been hell, and the ending of one of those books sounded pretty good right about now. Especially if it was shared with him. So strange how one day, everything is normal, and the next you re a murderer with a telepath falling for you. That never happened in the novels. And if it did, that would be extremely coincidental.

Considering the range of abilities we mutants possess, I wouldn t be surprised if someone was a time traveler who heard about mine and Charles's love story and traveled all the way back before we were born to write a romance novel about us to tell us what to do. I don t think that is too far off from what could actually happen nowadays.

A few raps on my door told me how the rest of the night would go.

Now I just had to see if my guess on who it was is correct.

"May I come in?" Shocker, it was him. But who else would come up?

I wouldn't say no to him. Anyone else would have received a very nasty reply.

I was sitting on my bed, knees pulled up to my face and turned away from the door. Not the fetal position but pretty close to it. The gentle squeak that came with opening the doors signaled that he was in my room. I also heard it when he shut the door. This made me slightly uncomfortable. Alone in the room with someone who I have strong feelings with, and who returns those feelings ten fold. That would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

I felt him sit beside me on the bed and gently wrap an arm around me. The warmth immediately spread through my back and settled through out my body.

Don't know if that sounds cheesy, but that's what happened.

A pair of lips caressed the top of my head. That was the closest I have ever let someone get to me. I never even allowed my own parents to do that. That pretty much sums up how much I liked my parents.

"Anne," The way he murmured my name, I adored it. I'm pretty sure he wanted to say something, but couldn't quite think of the right words. Which is strange because he always knew what to say. He would have made a great motivational speaker. Or therapist.  
>"I think I ll just show you." I felt his arm squeeze my shoulder and I let my head gently rest on his shoulder.<p>

All of a sudden images flooded my mind.

We were back in the forest, it was the day we meant. Of him standing over my lioness body, banishing the voices from my head. It made me realize how beautiful the forest was that day, which only amplified my feelings.

That disappeared and was replaced by me and him talking before he left with Erik and Moira. It was then I noticed the true emotion that went with every thought he sent me. I never saw that before.

All the moments that we shared were relived. I saw me through his eyes. And I loved it.

The last image was something I did not expect. Something I didn't know even happened.

It was last night, when I was sleeping. I was having a dream I could not remember. Every time I tried to remember all I got was shadows and blood and a sudden warmth that ended it.

Apparently I had been thrashing around terribly that night. And according to the image I was showed, the sudden warmth of my dream wasn't just a figment of my imagination.

It was real.

It was him.

Charles had come into my room and onto my bed, gently laying down beside me. His arm held me in place, and if I was awake I would have felt his warm breath against my neck. He did not sleep.  
>Every time I even flinched he would hug my sleeping body and I would go still again. This continued well into the morning, and he left only about five minutes before I woke up.<p>

Words did not have to be expressed at that moment.

I still felt like bursting into a thousand tears , but now those were tears of happiness.

And so I cried into his shoulder for an hour.

Because, sometimes you just need to cry.


	13. Chapter 13

Alright, very sorry for not uploading. I found my LOTR movies yesterday, and well you can guess what happened. Oh well, a late chapter is better than no chapter, correct?  
>Enjoy, and once again thanks for all the kind reviews.<p>

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><p>"Anne, it's time that you faced this. I will not allow you to come with us if you cannot control your power. You can do this, I have complete faith in you love."<p>

Those were the words that made me realize that I could not just forget about it. I cannot just act like my powers don't exist. But I believed I was finally ready. And I was happy. So if I was trapped as a lioness or a hawk for the rest of my life, I would be content.

And I knew I couldn't stay here alone while everyone else was off preventing a war. That would be a great jab at my self-esteem.

"And if I cannot turn back?"

That was the question that haunted me. Even though I believed I could do it, I often had doubts of my abilities. No one would know the answer to my question until I used my power. Hopefully I could control this.

We were alone together. Not very far away from the satellite dish that Sean was pushed off of.

"You will be able to turn back," He gently raised a hand to my cheek, caressing it for only a second before withdrawing quickly. I loved it when ever he touched me. Be it accidental or on purpose, I couldn't get enough of it either way. "And I will always be right beside you."

With that final sentence I knew that I could trust him. Not that I didn't trust him before, that just backed it up.

I can do this.

I slowly moved a couple of feet away from him and concentrated. With one last look at him I allowed my body to slip away and change into that of my hawk.

But something strange happened.

When I was finished, I wasn't in my normal hawk body. It was far bigger, with black feathers on my back and white feathers on my chest. I was in the body of a harpy eagle. I shifted on my talons uncomfortably, this sent my mind into a swirl of confusion over the loss of my hawk body.

_What is wrong?_

His concern was more than obvious. Despite the situation I couldn't help but think how sweet that question was.

_I never changed into a harpy eagle before. Only ever a hawk and a lioness._

I suddenly had an idea. If my bird form was different, maybe my feline form would also be different.  
>To test my theory, I concentrated on changing into the lioness.<p>

When I gaze down at my paws, I was surprised to see that my new form was that of a Bengal tiger. I was quite happy I could not morph into a lioness. After the . . . events of the forest, I hated my lioness form. It tortured me every time I became it.

I enjoyed the muscles that a tiger possesses, I felt quite powerful. I forgot for a second about what I came out here to do, lost in the scents and sounds that I couldn't pick up before as a human.

A hand runs along my spine before coming to a stop on my head. Every movement sent waves of emotion around my body. Hopefully tigers can't get nosebleeds.

_Never thought I would get the chance to touch a tiger. And not get mauled._

The humour in his voice definitely made the situation feel much lighter. Humour always put a positive spin on things, and once again, the fact that it was him made it better too. And the idea that if I was human right then, he would have basically run his hand the length of my back made the situation better too.

_Be mindful you are the only one that I will allow to do this. Even after one too many, you'll still be the only one._

Yes, I drink. Even though I could not remember my own age, I do know I drank during highschool. Which I have yet to finish, because of the whole mutation incident.

_Glad to know that you are faithful. And you drink? I would not have guessed that. In fact, how old are you?_

That is a good question. I was in my last year of highschool, and the average age was seventeen. I think the average age for senior year is seventeen. Than the two years in the forest, so nineteen. But it all depends on when my birthday is. I could have easily been eighteen back then, so by this reasoning I would either be a nineteen year-old turning twenty soon or a new twenty year-old. Math is quite hard when you forgot almost everything about it.

_Either nineteen or twenty. And yes, I was quite fond of scotch when I was still in highschool. But what can I say? Peer pressure is murder._

That was my first joke in about three years. But I was never one for telling jokes.

_Well, when we get back to my room we can have a drink in celebration of finally having control of your powers._

That would be exceptional. But old seminars of "The Risks of Under Age Drinking" flash through my mind. Which was strange, considering I practically had my memory wiped over the course of two years.

_A filthier mind would consider that a sexual innuendo, but I'll ignore the fact that you could easily get me drunk, and once again this would be happening in your room. Piece it together. _

It took a short time before he replied. This conversation was beginning to sound strange, luckily no one else could hear it. If someone else heard this, I would be mortified. Especially since this was discussing the very tender topic of my life before my mutation.

_You have been listening to Sean, have you not? And that would be inappropriate, but considering the fact that I already snuck into your room and stayed with you for the entire night while you were asleep, I do not believe that would be the worst thing that I have done in our relationship._

Our relationship. It tickles the tip of my tongue every time I say it.

It sounded so official, but we have yet to tell people. Mainly because they probably already knew, but he was worried Moira might be a little . . . distracted from the announcement. Apparently she has slight feelings for him.

_Sean is loud. It is hard not to listen to him. And I don't consider what you did inappropriate, but Raven thought it was quite romantic. I did not tell Raven, she pieced it together after she saw you leaving my room._

I actually quite liked Raven, she is nice. We had long conversation about me and Charles. She approved of the relationship, and was rather happy about the whole situation.

_Raven is very smart, she would have eventually figured it out. And I believe you have forgotten why we are out here._

_I did not forget, more so decided not to think about it._

My body was still that of a tiger, and not human. At least he made his reminder gentle, it did not ruin the mood.

I concentrated on changing back. Allowed the image of my human body to melt into my body, willing the tiger body to change. A strange sense of peace entered my body, seeping into my mind like rain into the earth. I felt the fur of the tiger slowly go away, my front legs shorten and regain the shape of arms. But a rather loud noise came out of nowhere and startled me. I snapped out of what ever state I was in and immediately returned to the state of a tiger.

_That was rather close. Concentrate, think of your human body doing something that made you happy._

I know exactly what to think of. It has not happened yet, but I intend for it to happen. Which is strange, because from what Raven told me, it should have been the first thing to happen. It is quite confusing to me.

The thing I focused on was that of an image I know for a fact is in my future. I close my eyes and create the picture that he says will help me return to my human body.

A sweet taste coats my lips, warm and loving. A hand sends shivers along my spine as it runs the length of my back, while the other hand is at the back of my head, holding me firmly in place.

Gentle, but eager.

Another pair of lips covers my own. Each time our breath runs out we separate for only a moment before eagerly returning for more.

Wave after wave of emotion follow every move we make.

During all of this my hands are not idle. They are both on the back of his head, pushing him closer to me while my fingers gently tangle themselves into his quite luscious hair. There is almost no space between us, for we have our bodies as close together as possible.

Before I even know it, my tiger form has changed into my human body.

When I open my eyes, they are met with the sight of Charle's handsome face making my picture reality.


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry, but I cannot remember, like, any of the dialogue from the movie. So I m pretty much having her just not participate in it. If anyone knows a website where I can get some quotes or dialogue from the beach scene, that would be wonderful. And I hope the end isn't, like really _really _cheesy. I feel like Anne is becoming a Mary-Sue, but you wonderful readers and reviewers don't know what happens in the last chapter. That's where the "hurt" in "hurt/comfort" comes in. Well, enough of me. And yes, the lines from JFK are actually from his address. If not than the internet lied to me. Again.

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><p>"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."<p>

Everyone had gathered in front of the small television to listen to president John F. Kennedy give his address discussing things like Cuba and missiles. It was all very confusing, also considering the fact that I had little knowledge in world politics made it even worse.

We sat and watched until the end of his speech came.

"Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindication of right; not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere, and, we hope, around the world. God willing, that goal will be achieved. Thank you and good night."

God willing indeed.

Even though I may not be the most faithful Christian, I still believe that God does intend for us to stop Shaw and his minions.

This is what we have been training for. From what I understand, this blockade President Kennedy is instituting will not be enough. Shaw will find a way to start World War III. And we have to stop him. Which means letting the world know about mutants. That is what makes me uneasy.

People will be terrified of us. I was always a loner in school, but this will practically make us enemies of all humans. I spent my entire life searching for equality in the sight of my peers.

That already failed.

Because of my social failure in school, I was already separated. After this, I don't believe I will ever be able to walk comfortably down a sidewalk without receiving the attention of humans looking to hurt me.

What kind of life would that be for me? What kind of life would that be for mutants everywhere? We would all either be hunted down and killed or experimented on. Or be too ashamed of their God given gift and hide it from the world until the day they die.

And what would happen if I ever decided to bring a child into this world?

He or she would surely have some form of mutant power. They would never be able to live a normal life. They could not go to school for risk of accidentally harming someone or being harmed. I am not sure I would even be willing to have a child, knowing it would grow up like that. Even with a loving family life would still be hard.

I remember Charles saying something about converting the mansion into a sort of school for mutants.

A safe haven for them all.

But one house, even one as grand as this one, could only hold so many people. And who would be the teachers? Sean and Alex? Me? I have not even finished my own schooling, and those two obviously couldn't handle children well. Hank and Charles would be the only teachers. Maybe Raven, but I'm not sure what she would teach. Possibly Erik if he could learn to handle children. Or people for that matter.

It sounded like an easy choice. Show the world mutants existed and prevent World War III or hide and let Shaw practically remove the word "peace" from the dictionary. Anyone in their right mind would choose the first option, but a war would start either way. Between countries or between mutants and humans.

Acceptance of our species will be practically impossible. We will be seen as weapons, no better than your average gun.

"I suggest you all get some rest before we leave tomorrow."

I could not pick up who said that, but it was one of the few things we could do now. Other than train for the fight tomorrow. Plan out what we are going to do, how we will fight against Shaw.

I had a personal grudge against Azazel.

The scar on my arm was a constant reminder of my failure.

Before I realized it, I was alone in the room with Charles. They must have left while I was thinking. I tend to pretty much stop moving while in deep thought, which as I was told, can be really creepy. That coming from Sean of course.

"Do not let revenge consume you Anne,"I heard him say to me. "I do not want you to become something that you would regret."

Ever the peace maker.

"If you do not want me to fight tomorrow, than why help me gain control over my powers?" Everyone else has indeed been training, excluding Hank who has been cooped up in his room working on a number of projects.

"I helped you because I wanted to help. Yes, we will show the world that we exist tomorrow. But we can achieve peace," I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. "This is not you Anne. You have never thought like that before. And I am greatly concerned about you."

His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back up against his chest. His breath was warm against my skin and my mind was teeming with emotion over the gentle touch. "How can I ever be happy in a world where I could not even raise a child without fearing for their safety?"

_Barely twenty and you are already thinking of children? _I immediately felt a bit angered by that. _Not that I don't like children ___

I would much rather not have another conversation in my head.

"I always wanted a child. I absolutely adore the idea of raising a child." It is true, one of my life long goals since hitting puberty was to have a child. Give them all of the chances I never had. A happy family that genuinely cared for them, something I never had. I was never hurt or anything like that, but simply ignored. Ignorance is not bliss, I can tell you that.

"And what would your children think of their mother when they heard that she destroyed herself trying to take care of them? Then they would have lost you."

"But with the man I love as a father."

Oh God. I cannot believe I just said that. I immediately regret it.

"T-that is not what I meant-" I started to try and get out of his grip, to turn go die in shame over that sentence, but he pulled me back and whispered in my ear. "

"I love you too."

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><p>AN- God that ending is so cheesy. I should really stop watching soap operas when I'm bored xD.<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

I might as well say now this will be the last chapter. Of Jagged Mind.  
>Until late August. And in late August I will more than likely have the first chapter of the sequel up. I'll need a title name in case anyone wants to suggest something in their review. And some plot ideas, because I already have the outline of the first two chapters and the return of a very evil person. So, enjoy this chapter and don't hate me for the ending. Thanks for all the kind reviews, and I thank you all for staying with my story until the last chapter. I really hope I don't screw this entire chapter up. So as I previously said, enjoy this chapter. See you all in August.<p>

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><p>"So what happened last night?" Raven would not leave me alone. She kept pestering me with questions about last night. Such as "Why weren't you in your room?" and "What was that racket I heard last night?". It worried me that she knew I wasn't in my room. But the noise she heard confused me, because I know for a fact that I was being quiet. Or as quiet as one can be while losing their virginity. Yes, I did spend the night with Charles. And it was wonderful.<p>

"Nothing happened." I was determined to make sure no one knew. Let us say I was not one for sharing my personal life with my peers. Only my lover and good friends, which basically meant only Charles. But Raven was also determined to know what happened. She could be _really _annoying sometimes.

"Why can't you tell me? I thought we were friends and he _is_ my brother,"She was adamant. "I swear I won't tell anyone."

And then she just started to follow me around and give me that puppy dog look. Every time I turned around she was right there, pleading and begging me to tell her what happened. I began to think, maybe it would actually be a good idea to tell Raven. It would stop her from tailing me, I'm pretty sure it would make us better friends, and I would really feel like a member of our ragtag family.

"If I tell you, you absolutely _must _promise not to tell a soul,"That sounded good. But I need a little more. Telling someone you lost your virginity at twenty could make them awkward around you. Yes, Charles had Hank look up my records. I born on the eighteenth of June apparently. "And to not think of me any differently than you do now."

She nodded eagerly. The look of excitement on her face was obvious. I could not believe a person could be so excited to know gossip. Which pretty much explains why I was a social outcast during school, one does not get far when you don't care for gossip. It still astounded me, the type of things people could say. It was really degrading and usually beyond horrid.

I made a quick glance of the hallway, making sure no one was in the hallway, no one was in the rooms, and no one would be coming up. Thank God this house was ancient enough to have squeaky floors and doors. I did not intend for that to rhyme.

"Okay, what _exactly _do you want to know?" I would not tell her the whole story, but only what she wanted to know.

"Are you dating my brother?" She said that so fast I could barely understand her. How giddy can one person be?

"Yes." If I could keep my answers short, than maybe I could get through this interrogation that Raven was going to give me. The smile that spread across her face told me she was extremely happy over our relationship.

"Did you two sleep together?" How could she be so blunt with it? At times she was no better than Audrey. Which means she could potentially be my best friend until I murder her in a fit of rage. That would not be good.

In answer I only gave her a firm nod. And she hugged me. Which I did not understand, but I was currently being hugged to death so I had better things to think about. "R-raven, time to stop hugging me. Anne c-can't breathe!" And after a few more seconds of her death grip I was released. "I'm just so happy that my brother found someone he actually loves, and that it is you! I think you're a very good match for him."

"Good to know that you like us together,"It does actually make me feel better."But I can assure you that we did not make much noise. I believe it was actually coming from a room that Hank was using for his projects."

Raven then decided that we should go check out his room, see if everything was alright. And apparently everyone else was already gathered outside of his room wondering the same question.

When we ventured into the room, it was practically destroyed. Tables were strewn everywhere, shattered glass littered the wooden floor, dozens of papers all covered in equations and things that I could not even begin to comprehend. A rather large box was in the middle of the chaos. But I was rather concerned with what happened here. Hank was still my friend, even after the incident in the kitchen. "Would you look at that." Once again, I could not pick up who said that. I really have to start paying attention.

The box contains these blue and yellow suits. If Hank expected us to wear those, I seriously had to undo a lot of thoughts about him. If these were skintight, I was literally going to murder him. I did not like skintight clothing, always preferred baggy clothes. So what if I looked like a drug addict? I was comfortable.

So we all dressed in these remarkably uncomfortable suits and left for a hanger. Which so happened to contain a _very _large project of Hank's. It was a sleek black jet.

"Damn. . ."I did not swear often. And when I did, I was serious.

This was the closest I have been to a jet in my entire life. Not that I was afraid of flying, I flew as a hawk and harpy eagle, but I could not understand how something of this size could fly. The wonders of science I presume.

The day could not get any stranger. We were already flying to Cuba to stop World War III, and we were flying in the most advanced piece of technology I have ever seen. But I lived in a strange town and it was a _small _town. The kind of place where everybody knew everybody, but had a really nasty underbelly. I know it had the word "Peaks" in it.

I heard footsteps, but was rather fixated on the jet. I heard someone release a small gasp and finally averted my eyes towards the source of the noise.

It was Hank.

Or I believed it was him.

He was blue and rather ape-like. I couldn't help but let my gape a little at the strange appearence of my friend. I quickly closed my mouth, what ever happened to him, I know he would not want to be stared at.

Once again, I pretty much ignored most of the conversation. Apparently, Hank had devised a "cure" for his cosmetic problem. But instead of removing the problem, it only amplified it to. . . This.

But I was determined to ignore this, act like nothing had happened. Cosmetic problems were not something to be made fun of, and I would not act like Alex. Besides, Hank was my friend. And any good friend should either ignore the problem or insist that nothing is wrong.

And now we were off to Cuba.

Apparently it had been decided by Charles and Erik that I simply act as a third pair of eyes. To stay as a harpy eagle the entire time, just to literally give them a bird's eye view.

Screw that.

If I was needed to fight, I would fight. I spent two _years _training to fight. It might have been in different forms but same principle. A harpy eagle is simply bigger than a hawk, and tigers can't be that different from lions. True, the last time I fought it went completely wrong, but I knew what I was up against now. A teleporter and someone who can make tornados. But I was never told what Shaw can do.

A lot of things were going on.

The Russian missile ship was going to cross the line.

Something had happened to the crew, it was like they weren't even on the ship.

I don't really know what happened next. I heard a massive explosion from outside of the jet. If I was in my bird form, the explosion would have surely sent my reeling and possibly even unable to fly because of the air currents. All I know is that the missiles did not cross the line, and all that was left to do was find Shaw.

This is where Sean and I came in.

Sean and I were about to exit the jet. He was going to locate Shaw's submarine while I found a suitable spot in the sky to watch. Raven had wished me good luck, but that left me wondering what she meant. It would not be that hard to just watch, unless she knew that I wasn't going to listen. She was a lot smarter than I gave her credit for.

Sean dropped out of the jet, which meant it was mine turn. I was to drop and shift. But before I could, I felt a hand on my shoulder stop me.

_Give us a good view from the sky. And incase you have trouble turning back, just remember last night._

I simply smiled at him before I let myself fall from the jet.

About twenty feet before I hit the water was when I shifted into my beloved harpy eagle. I had grown quite fond of it, which made it easy for me to have a quick shift. I quickly spread out my wings to stop my plummet and found a suitable gust of wind that I could use to travel higher faster. It was hard flying around the jet, it gave off confusing air currents that were hard to ride, but I managed to finally make it to a higher altitude.

I now could see everything. All the ships, a beach, the jet. A perfect view. I felt a slight burning sensation behind my clever eyes, and knew that Charles could see it all too.

Sean entered the water and a few seconds later I spotted a massive disturbance.

_He found it._

Step two in this ingenious plan to stop World War III is now done. I don't actually know if that was step two, but I pretty much figured that destroying the Russian missile ship was step one.

I saw the jet move over to it, and the landing gear was lowered. Then I saw something massive being lifted out of the water. As it was slowly being raised up, I decided to get a closer look.

It was Erik lifting it out of the water. He was far more powerful than I thought. The most I ever saw the man do was lift a few small, metal things for a few seconds. But this was unbelievable.

The man called Riptide came out from the submarine and started making a swirling motion with his hand.

This was not good.

The tornado that Riptide made was gaining mass by the second. It quickly overtook the jet, tearing off one of the wings.  
>In a quite stupid moment, I actually started to dive towards Riptide.<br>A few seconds before he noticed me, I extended my talons towards his shoulder. I could not imagine what how fast I was going, or how much it must have hurt when I dug my talons right into his left shoulder. I'm pretty sure I must have shredded a muscle, or at the least his shirt. The landing was quite painful, I could only hold on for a few seconds before my momentum carried me away from my now bleeding target.

What I did must have worked. The tornado quickly dispersed, but the jet was dropping out of the sky like a rock towards the beach. And the submarine was practically thrown onto the beach too.

_I thought I said to stay where you could give us a good view._

Good, he was safe. And I presumed everyone else was too.

_And where would you be if I listened to you? I thought it was high time I finally did something useful besides make you-_

_I know what you were going to say, which means you really have to stop spending so much time around Sean._

Why does he always blame Sean? So what if I enjoy his company? The ginger was like the brother I never wanted.

_But you really must come down here now._

And so I did. I spotted Alex send off one of his red beams of death towards the butterfly girl. I can't believe I even tried to protect her, especially now that she had attempted to hurt the people she was previously friends with. Horrid woman. Seeing her made me remember my old plan. To get sweet revenge against Azazel. But I promised during some _very_quality time with Charles that I would not lose my head.

When I got to the jet, I could not believe that absolute destruction it went through. I am quite glad I was not in the jet when Riptide attacked, really dodged a bullet there. And who knows what could have happened if I did not distract Riptide?

It still took a great deal of concentration to change back into a human, even with the lovely visuals, so I opted for the tiger instead.

_Where's everyone else?_

It was only Moira, Raven, Charles, and I here.

_Erik's locating Shaw, Hank is dealing with Azazel, Sean and Alex just dealt with Angel._

How much could have happened in my short flight over here? Am I really that oblivious or am I that slow of a flyer?

I moved over to Raven, and I could tell that something very important was happening.

Charles had this look on his face, something very terrible was happening. Less than a minute later he just started screaming.

It terrified me, seeing someone who could help so many people be in so much pain. I could not tell what was hurting him, which made me furious.

My tiger body reacted with this fear and anger by letting out a ferocious roar that not even my lioness body could muster. The fear summoned adrenaline that coursed through my veins, I did not know where to release all this new energy. Blood roared in my ears and the only thing I could think of now was to make what ever was hurting Charles bleed. To make it suffer.

"Anne!" I heard Raven call my name. She must have seen me. Even though she stood right next to me, I could barely hear her over my thoughts and his pain.

All of a sudden he just stopped and rushed out of the wreckage that was the jet.

_Anne, love, you must calm down. Remember what we did last night, please._

I was still running on fear, but to know he cared enough to temporarily ignore what ever just happened and say that to me. Needless to say it helped me to calm down somewhat. But the raw power of adrenaline was still in me, and would soon have to be released in some way.

The three of us followed him out, only to be greeted by the sight of a corpse.

The floating corpse of Shaw.

It was hung up in the air like a scare crow before Erik dropped it with a sickening crunch. I had seen three dead bodies in my life, which were far more mutilated, so this did little to scare me. Even though it surely must have been a shock for everyone else. But I was still a tiger, and tigers have a wonderful blood lust which means that my natural instincts would take over my sense of humanity and I would lose control. I did that once with the lioness, and it was terrible reverting back to animal instincts alone.

I knew I had to change back into my human form, but as previously said, it still takes a considerable amount of concentration. I focused on the sand beneath my paws, determined to not let myself lose control.

But having Americans and Russians aim missiles at you can kind of wreck your concentration.

And proceeding to fire those missiles at us.

This was not going to be a good day for mutant kind.

All previous notions of revenge and instincts were completely over taken by fear. The sudden urge to run was practically unbearable, but I protested against it and stood my ground. I could not leave them here, and no matter how fast I ran or flew, the blast would surely obliterate everything.

They were getting so close, I was completely tensed up. From what I saw, so was everyone else.

Then Erik just raised his hand and they stopped in mid-air. He must have complete control over his powers to do that. The missiles started to slowly turn around and I could tell he was aiming them towards the very same ships that fired them.

I heard him and Charles arguing.

"All my life I have been at the mercy of men just following orders. Never again."

With that sentence, the missiles shot out towards the open sea and the ships. The fear that swam in my mind was practically gone, but returned the immediate second I spotted Charles and Erik in a complete out brawl on the beach.

As they fought, Erik must have been distracted. He accidentally sent some of the missiles into the sea, but most continued on. In anger over being so helpless for this entire time, I made my way over to them. Being careful to not actually get in the way of their fighting, mainly because I knew that this was strictly between them, I only skirted their fight and waited patiently for one to lose. As I was expecting, the loser of the fight was Charles.

As Erik continued to direct the missiles back at the ship, I began to change back into a human. It was so easy, the fear and anger actually helped me to concentrate. In no time at all I was human and helping Charles up.

I was standing in front of him when I heard a gun firing. I turned back around to see Moira firing at Erik, either trying to distract him or kill him. I knew it was pointless, for he easily deflected every single bullet either into the air or sand.

Except for one.

On her last shot, as Erik deflected it, I felt a sharp sting in my chest.

When I glanced down, I was shocked to see blood welling out of a wound a couple inches away from my heart.

I always expected that getting shot would hurt like hell, but I actually could not feel a thing. I tried to suck in a breath because my lungs felt so cold, like they were being frozen, but my throat was clogged with blood. I fell to my knees, trying to understand why I couldn't breathe or feel a thing besides ice.

The sand was already beginning to mix with my blood when my knees gave way and I turned over onto my side. That was when the painful realization hit me.

I was dying.

My life would end right here on this beach.

_Anne!_

He screamed my name, but only in my head. I felt a hand slip under my side and pull me up. Good, instead of bleeding to death on my side, I was going to bleed to death in the arms of the only person I ever loved. Might as well die with someone you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.

_I always knew I was unlucky._

Why is it in death I feel like making a joke? This utter sense of peace was actually making me feel good. The ice was blocking any pain that I should have been feeling. Well, besides the need to close my eyes and sleep. I was so tired.

_Just stay with me Anne. _

_How many people have survived a bullet wound to the chest? I seriously doubt I'll make it out of this. Just shut up and think something nice._

I just wanted to have a good last memory. And him yelling in my head is not how I intended to go out. But getting shot in the chest wasn't in the master plan either.

_You know what I absolutely love about you? You always keep a good atitude, be it getting shot in the chest or having your arm cut open, you always try to make yourself laugh. And you're the lovely young woman who I can't resist, who I think about when bad things happen, who I can't live without. I've lost Erik, don't let me lose you too. I will not allow you to die here. Hank will help, you'll live Anne._

Even Hank wouldn't be able to heal this. No doctor could heal this unless they were from the year 2011 or something.

_How about when I die here, with you, take your own advice. When you want me by your side, when you want to relive everything, when you simply can't think of anything else, _

_Just remember last night._


End file.
